The Toilet Papers: Recycling Waste and Conserving Water

A classic is back in print! One of the favorite books of the back-to- the-land movement, The Toilet Papers provides an informative and irreverent look at how people have deal with human wastes over the centuries, and at what safe designs are available today that reduce water consumption and avert the necessity for expensive treatment systems. Van der Ryn provides homeowner plans for several types of dry toilets, compost privies, and greywater systems, and also discusses the history and philosophy of turning organic wastes into a rich humus, linking us to the fertility of the soil and ensuring our ultimate well-being. Van der Ruyn is a former architect, and his designs for compost privies are downright elegant as well as environmentally sound.